The Hunt Master
by LycanthropicPlushie
Summary: AU- Harry was nicked from the cradle some stage on the night Riddle attacked; Now he's one of the Lady's favourites and master of the Hunt.
1. Prologue

_The Hunt Master_

Prologue

* * *

Two bright golden orbs, framed by the darkest of shadows, watched silently as a should-be imposing figure stormed into the house. They didn't blink as a male voice shouted defiance and orders, didn't weep as the same voice was abruptly cut off by a hissed curse and flash of green light.

Only when the same hissing voice demanded a distraught woman to move did the eyes react, fading quickly into the surrounding street. They reappeared quickly, now speckled faintly with red, to watch with faint disapproval as the black figure cut down the red-haired girl. They observed as the figure cackled softly, insanely, stepping closer to the royal blue crib, in which sat the silent, glaring babe both figure and eyes were there to kill and collect respectively.

The eyes narrowed slightly, as the babe flickered pleading eyes towards them. _Mortals aren't suppose to see when I'm in this form…_Was thought, before the eyes blinked once more, the surrounding shadow turning slowly into a black hood and sallow, yet handsome, face of Indaray, Grim Reaper extraordinaire.

So, stepping completely out of the shadows, blocking the babe from the figure the Lady had distractingly called 'Tom', Indaray sneered mockingly at the now furious Dark Lord.

"Ye would kill a babe?" His voice was accented, as he hadn't spoken with any mortals for a long while and any language but for his own had usually changed each time he _did _speak it.

Tom growled, irritated by the feeling the cloaked man dressed up in the muggle Grim Reaper uniform extracted from him. It made him feel something he hadn't felt since he left the orphanage- _fear_. And the most pressing need to run…

"I suppose I shouldna' state the obvious, but really! Now how about ye turn around and go kill some other poor, defenceless lad whilst I finish the task milady set." It was said as more a command, infuriating Tom enough to minutely forget about the odd sensations.

"Who is foolish enough to stand against me?" Lord Voldemort raised his wand, many dark curses on his tongue.

"I? Foolish?" Indaray snickered chillingly, idly switching his scythe to his right hand. "Nay! Ye didn't run when ye had the chance…"

Intense flames later devoured the Potter house quickly, roasting the flesh of the three still-warm bodies of James Potter, Lily Potter nee Evans and their young son, Harry James Potter. Of course, later no one had the heart to make sure Harry's ashes actually were his before his urn was put to the wind, so people could only suspect when You-Know-Who suddenly stopped his raids…

* * *

Hiya! I've redone this- cause it looks/sounds better to me, and it goes better with the rest of the story. And kinda because I wanted to try the idea I had for all the demons with the cool accent in Kate Forsyth's books…Meh. In your next review (Winkwink) you can tell me if this one is better than the old version. If you're a new reader- Enjoy, and read the opinion of my past reviewers.

Love, Tegan


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter Two

* * *

**

The Lady was pleased. He could tell because her eyes were violet, and she was cooing at the now-awake baby gurgling sleepily in her arms. The Little Master himself had been jolted awake during the shadow-trip back to the Lady's citadel or whatever she the court calls it. I don't really have a clue as to how the he stays awake- being woken up two times in one night and hit with Dark Lady's Gift spell, or curse depending on what your looking at.

The Lady herself, from her point of view, was planning out some many pranks she and her new protégé could use to bring some life back into court. Sure, the little minions got fun torturing souls all day, and Indaray got to stalk and collect way-ward souls- but she could only join them so many times one week before someone claimed she was waging from her job- which mainly consists of having word-wars through letters with Light Lord (God), ordering people around, calling meetings among the court and all the other boring jobs like sitting on your throne being intimidating. But she could have fun now! Raise the little terror-to-be in her arms, then set him loose into her citadel and the mortal lands!

* * *

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

(I have no idea about the year, so nyeh!)

Albus Dumbledore, in all his glory, sat comfortably on his throne behind his desk, eating lemon drops. And these new sweets he'd found call pixie sticks.

It was Halloween night, rather daunting fog obscuring the lake from what he could see from his window, and a forbidding chill telling him something had either happened, or was happening.

So, putting down his sweets, the old man got up and steadily made his over to the fireplace in an attempt to make sure his many students were still well, when a wind-chime from his personal library started releasing phoenix-song. It was enough to make Albus gasp, before hurrying to the fireplace at a quicker place. Throwing some Floo into the flames, shouting "Minerva's Den!" before shoving his head into the green flames.

The old man was relieved to see his second-hand at her work desk, and in sight of the fireplace. But it was short lived as he remembered why he was there.

"Albus? What are you after? Nothing's happened has it?" Minerva was already standing on her feet, grabbing her wand and a travelling cloak as she made her way over to her co-worker.

Albus shook himself back into the present. "The Potter wards! Minerva, they've fallen! Please look after the school whilst I'm gone! No, stay here!" And he 'pop'ed back out.

The old man himself seized his own wand, Fawkes alighting his shoulder just as he began to descend the staircase. The phoenix was for all intent ignored by his soul-bonded as they travelled through some many secret passageways towards the Entrance Hall and the Grounds.

The night continued to pass much like this, with Albus informing Hagrid (Who was celebrating Halloween in his whiskey) to go and check on the Potters, and bring anyone who survived to him immediately. Minerva spent it gathering her force- Filius, Pomona, Sinistra and other staff- to watch the school as she tried to predict what hair-brained scheme Albus had going this time and panic on the Potter's behalf.

* * *

**And We Follow Hagrid**

(" ")

Rubeus Hagrid was slightly tipsy, and it didn't help that the Knight Bus insisted to go so bloody fast and stop so suddenly even a sober stomach would rebel. But the hot chocolate helped. Yes, well…the part he swallowed before it was thrown down his front was.

He managed to bungle off at the right street, and watch in fascinated horror as the last standing support-beam of Godric's Hollow collapsed and turned the once grand house to ashes. The whole Knight Bus was silent as well, no one knowing who had lived there but knowing they weren't alive anymore if they were living there.

The conductor, Kyle Krabstone, cleared his throat awkwardly, gaining the attention of a few of the passengers. "Arh…shall we go on?" He beckoned the now wailing Hagrid back onto the bus.

"I n-nev'r gotta'r say go'dbye ta' little 'arry!" Was repeated as a mantra, along with many a 'James's and 'Lily's.

Everyone still on board eventually worked out who had lived there.

* * *

**A/N**: Since when are my stories popular? OMG. Yeah…

Next Chapter: Harry (I'm gonna change his name, to what is beyond me at the moment.) for his first 6 years in the Citadel. It will be longer. I just have trouble trying to get canon-characters to act right. Yeah…And Harry with be totally different to canon-Harry as well…The Dark Lady's Gift/Curse spell makes someone have dark tendencies and he grew up in Hell-land so nyah!

Review Replies:

Desolation Lily: Yes I'm continuing. Obviously. And thankyou for being my first reviewer!

Wytil: Are you being sarcastic or over-enthusiastic? Oh well. We all have our weird-points. Nehehehehe. I like cheese. And coffee!

Moongypsy04: If it makes you feel better I'm a bit peeved at the mentioned people as well. I'm kinda obsessed with AU Harry fics where he's raised differently- adopted, kidnapped or run-away are all good!

Maxennce: The 'Hunt' comes from my over-active imagination. It may come from somewhere/thing I've read and have forgotten…Actually; I think Cecilia Dart-Thornton's Bitterbynde Trilogy may have started it.

Everyone else- THANK YOU!

Ta!

Niger Wolf


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Three**

Wandering down one of the many empty corridors of the Citadel, one Torvus Jaeger cackled the way one of the lower demons said should never be cackled by one his age. Said demon was still in the affectionately names 'Torture Chamber of Many Pits'. No one commented on his age, hight, and/or hair and got away without at least a missing limb. Needless to say, the local jesters were missing quite a few members.

Tor, as his mentors and/or Partners-in-Crime called him, was very happy. This event, whilst not unusual in it self, was odd because he was happy about something of an un-sinister nature. The Lady, his boss, mentor, older sister, adopted mother, partner-in-some-crimes…was going to let him start learning how to use the elements!

The short, black-haired child had many ideas and pranks that would be helped greatly with help from some of the powers these lessons would grant him- like, for example, he'd always wanted to see if the alcohol, that one of the more political demons always had a flask of, was flammable. Or even if those crystal glasses Cook always insisted using for the annual Halloween feast would really explode if the liquid inside were to freeze, and as such expand. He had more ideas, something other than drinks, but if he told you the Citadel's caretaker would find a way to make sure it _didn't_ happen.

So there he was, emerald eyes glowing, striding confidentally down the forgotten corridor towards a room only he and the Lady knew of. There were many rooms only the two of them knew of, actually, but then the Lady only knew what he was hiding in half of them. Those would be the ones she would ignore…

But this one, where he was going to now, was his own secret. It probably didn't have to even_ be _a secret, he was certain the Lady would be thrilled with it, only he didn't want the whole Underworld to know how close he was to achieving the post the Lady had reserved for him on his first night as a demon.

He arrived in no time at all, before a door covered in illusion to look like the surrounding black marble wall. If you could see through the illusion, as Tor could, you would see the simple, black oak door imprinted with Tor's insignia.

A pair of antlers, that of a young buck, surrounding a pitch-black hawk feather, a pale green basilisk fang and a bloodied grim claw. Everything that spoke of an up-coming Hunt Master was in his resent insignia with his own personal touch. It would change along with his progress, like the grey antlers getting more tines, one for each type of magic he had mastered. His had four tines. Legilmancy, Occulmancy, Telekinesis and Metamorphmagi. He would continue getting tines even after becoming Hunt Master, but the antlers would turn gold as soon as that title was given. The hawk feather was his own, representing his love of flying, freedom and his natural hunting prowess. It would stay the same, if only to gain a green tint. The basilisk fang was his affinity with snakes, natural cunning and his unconscious habit of waiting until the perfect time to strike, hard and fast. The grim claw, his mischievous streak. Tor wasn't sure, but he thought the blood could have been a salute to his godfather, who the Lady said, now resided in a prison guarded by Dementors. The Lady had told him of their effects to mortals, and Tor was devastated to hear that a fellow mischief-maker was stuck in their company.

Ignoring his insignia completely, Tor jabbed the wall to the right of the door and rushed in as soon as the oak door swung open without protest.

What met him was his current project.

Because he didn't like Hell Hounds- they slobbered to much, were to loud, were only competent companions during a hunt and only really understood the commands of 'Guard', 'Sit' and 'Eat'- Tor had decided to create his own company of hunting dog.

So Tor had just studied all varieties of magical dogs he could find, looking into non-magical ones every now and then, and started to throw them together.

At the moment he had three of them- his alpha male and two females. And they were at the moment merely puppies; mind you, two-tailed, winged and _smart _puppies. Well, at least, as smart as he could make them without letting them out-smart himself. So they were of the intelligence of a mortal teenager, or would be once they grew out of puppy-hood and started learning. It was then that he was going to have to bring in a few of his other familiars- his basilisk and kelpie off the top of his head.

He would have asked some of his other familiars, the more patient ones, except he'd thought it would be cool if the dogs could speak parseltongue. So the dogs had forked tongues, and he would exploit that because he couldn't be bothered to make them telepathic or something on that line. The two tails was a side effect- he'd used some krup DNA to get the forked tongue and the DNA had warped with the small amount of Cerberus DNA he'd used to make the dogs big-but-not-to-big. They would eventually grow to be around the size of a large horse.

Their eyes would change colour according to their mood, like his own and any other mortal-turned-demon. Their fur ranged from red-tinted black, green-tinted black, purple-tinted black, yellow-tinted black and grey-tinted black depending on their job in the pack.

The three he had now, Kaiser for his pack leader, Lucine as the female pack leader and Chipo, Lucine's twin sister, who had suddenly appeared one day and who Tor decided to give to the Lady as a peace treaty for not telling her sooner of his project (The Lady hadn't liked the original Hell Hounds since one of them had marked his territory on her favourite ball gown.).

He was going to wait until Kaiser grew up into something of a pack leader before creating any more of his little masterpieces.

After checking up on them- Kaiser was happy to report his new word, Lucine was as silent as usual and Chipo demanded he play with her by grabbing his wrist in her jaws and refusing to let go- Tor made his way down to the throne room to bug the people in there until his first lesson started.

* * *

As Torvus entered the throne room, the currently dying-of-boredom Lady caught sight of him from her throne.

Whilst the Lady was pretty much the same as when Torvus first arrived- red highlighted black hair, colour-changing, cat-slitted eyes, small fangs and the classical devil horns she had charmed on to see the looks on the faces of the demons who recognized them- Torvus himself was obviously not an adorable, little, innocent babe. No, he was now a slightly…smaller-than-average 7 year old (but don't tell him she said that) with long black hair that reached to the small of his back, held up in a braid that Indaray had insisted he wear during a manga/anime-obssession of his. His eyes changed colour with his mood, but they were usually a mischievous green that many visiting demons forever remembered him by, along with his cherubic look that many could claim still looked innocent even as he shoved someone off the belltower.

His moods were erratic, worse than the Lady's own at times. Like, say, the time he had been laughing at a political demon who had fallen for the simple whoopee cushion trick. One of the pranked demons companions had jokingly commented that he hadn't thought it possible to prank his friend, let alone a shrimp Tor's size…Just say the demon didn't finish that thought before Tor's eyes were a insulted, angry red.

The Lady loved him like a son, which he was. At least, Torvus Jaeger was. Harry James Potter had been classified dead in the mortal world from which he sprung…

* * *

HULLO PPL! I'm so sorry for not updating for so long! Only I got grounded for two weeks…

Ya ken, I didna think I'd get such a good response for this here story…But whateva! I like these kinda stories as well!

Review responses:

Wytil- Lol! I suppose it would be uncomfortable… Thanks for the info!

Evergreen Sceptre- I dunno…I mean, he's been living in a place where causing pain is considered normal, and his job would be just to kill off the mortals who get too powerful in the dark arts, annoy a high-ranking demon, the Lady doesn't like or something along those lines… I'd put him in the category of 'Poltergeist' until he gets the Hunt Master title and the cool antlers.

Daughter of Shadows- Yay! Book reference! If you want, there's a book series called the Bitterbynde Series by Cecilia Dart-Thornton that has something about a hunt. The Hunt Master in that one is the most feared eldritch wight (demon) of em all! Mothers tell the kiddies to behave or the Hunt will come for them. I might have got the idea from those books, I dunno.

Badger-dude- Thanks…I'm not very well informed in these things- (I'm stuck to much in fiction to catch all these racial insult and stuff people make up…)

Nytingale- I like these types of AU's as well! I'll have a look at ur favourites or something to see if you've found any I haven't!

Shadowface- Coffee is holy. Don't you deny it!

Ranma hibiki- Havoc and Harry. Same amount amount of syllables, letters and they both start with 'Ha'. The Lady is just called the Lady. Until I say otherwise I suppose…

AnniePADFOOT- Is the name cheesy? I wouldn't know…

ApocSM- I'm sorry for not updating sooner! My parents grounded me for staying online reading other ppl's fanfictions past 12pm…

Also thanks to- HecateDeMort and Dernhelm-caorann!

ALL HAIL COFFEE!

The Coffee Obssessed One


	4. Chapter Three

The Hunt Master

Chapter Three

* * *

**Year One**

Thinking as rapidly as a three-year-old could, Torvus hid behind a tapestry depicting a mortal knight getting torched by a nesting dragon. He was currently on the run from his sometimes-guardian, Indaray. Of course, he couldn't quite remember why he was hiding from one of his favourite people…

Indaray cursed brilliantly in the barking language of the wild dog as he searched for his run-away charge. If he'd _known _the little bugger would take off at the first mention of 'bath' he wouldn't be in this mess! But did the normal day-to-day nursemaid tell him? Did anyone tell him anything of worthy detail at all? _No_…Lady forbid we make _anything _easy for Indaray…

**Year Two**

Having completed learning his basic letters, the Lady have given Torvus a day of no lessons to plan a prank or three for the upcoming ball. The reason for the ball was completely over his head, but having so many demons in one area made accusing the sweet, bashful little brat all the more harder.

So plan pranks he did. With a little help from Indaray, of course.

The ball was not a total disaster, really. Only 24 demons got covered in that weird, gluggy stuff the Hell Hounds couldn't resist getting high on, and only 15 of them had blood drawn in the Hounds excitement. And of course it's not that unusual to turn into a dog if you drink the silvery punch that tasted like brandy, but slightly more unusual if that breed of dog happens to have a liking to the gluggy stuff too…

Needless to say the Lady thoroughly enjoyed herself and Indaray got to see one of his many rivals get 'mauled' by a Labrador. Torvus wasn't happy with it though. To obvious, was a main concern, along with the fact that the demons that had been pranked were steadily getting more paranoid…

**Year Three**

Torvus was pissed. Not in the drunk kind of way, the angry must-kill-someone-_now _kind of way. And that someone, rather some_thing, _was the Guard-Dragon.

Of course, it was the Guard-Dragon that pissed him off in the first place so it was its own fault.

And the Lady _had _warned everyone in the Realm not to insult his hight, or anything else. Not that it stopped half of them from testing it. Oh, he had fun with all those new potion ingredients… But still! Even after that episode, the stupid dragon has the nerve to greet him with a 'Hello little midget!'

The dragon _dies_! Or maybe not… After all, what better way to teach a lesson than with humiliation? And Guard-Dragon's are so proud of their crests…

**Year Four**

For his fifth birthday, the Lady had 'requested' Indaray to look after Torvus for a week in the Mortal Realm. She didn't care where, just so long as Torvus didn't get bored and he had lots to experiment with when he returned.

So that's how he found himself talking animatedly with a basilisk, having come across the sunning snake as they stalked some wizard tourists, who seemed to have suddenly disappear and the snake looked quite bloated…

**Year Five**

Torvus had just realized something he didn't like one bit. If, 'when' the Lady insisted during the earlier lesson, he became Hunt Master he would be responsible for the Hell Hounds. Supposedly that's how the last Hunt Master had died- he'd been mobbed after the huge, mastiff-like dogs had completely decimated one to many celebrations.

So, glaring angrily at the slobbering Hound that had suddenly decided to follow him, Torvus decided there and then he was going to get new hunting dogs even if he had to make them from scratch.

Now, all he had to do was loose the dog and nick someone's bestiary…But after his Mind Arts class…

**Year Six**

At the 'birth' of his new hunting companions, Torvus felt the insane urge to 'cackle evilly'. But he didn't, because it would a waste of a good laugh as no one else was in his 'lab' and the odd looking puppy-things were deaf, blind and dumb. Didn't stop them from whining so loudly though…

So, sighing and giving into the wishes of the ugly, bald chicken-dogs Tor fed them a mixture of basilisk venom, Hound milk and dragon blood. Of course, this was just totally experiment, so if they died he'd have to start all over again. Glare, his basilisk and familiar since the visit to the Mortal Realm, had told him that the mixture would either kill them straight off or mutate the puppies' magic into something even more chaotic than it was now.

So, being who he was and one for risks, decided to go for it. And he wasn't let down with the result.

They all lived, only now they had a taste for Hell Hound's and Dragon's, and the venom somehow integrated itself into their own eye-teeth-turned-fangs.

Torvus was very happy, and decidedly thankful the Lady had demanded he learn Potions.

**Year Seven**

After somehow mastering elemental magic soon after learning the basics, astounding his tutor and the court alike, Torvus was introduced the Shape-Shifting and Enchanting.

ShapeShifting was mastered after half a year, but it was decided that he could only 'shift' into the animals that he had bonded with: basilisk, kelpie, chimera, kneazle, Cerberus, griffin, threstral, grim, sea serpent, augurey, and what looks like Kaiser's twin (which led to the exposure of his pets, who had become steadily more sarcastic and cunning under the tutelage of Glare).

Enchanting went right over his head. It would have worked brilliantly in many of his pranks, except his tutor came to the bemused conclusion that all the items in the citadel refused to be enchanted by him for one reason or another- except for the book on Necromancy, which seemed to delight in biting people whenever Torvus called it to assistance. Which may be the reason the librarian just gave him the book to keep and the subsequent teaching of Necromancy, taught by a reluctant Indaray.

**Year Eight**

The Lady liked to think of Tor's familiar's as his 'following'. And a following it was indeed. She didn't know where he got half of them, didn't want to know about some, and was amused to find that the Necromancy book had somehow gained the ability to possess dead bodies and was usually found following Torvus in the form of some rotting something-or-other until the body fell apart.

Since learning ShapeShifting Tor had made gaining familiars into some kind of art. So, along with the beasts he'd already had, the boy-demon had somehow collected a cockatrice, a peruvian vipertooth, a fwooper, a granian, a hippogriff, a jarvey (which the Lady was on the verge of killing), a moke (which the Lady was convinced Torvus had lost the day after he found it), a nundu (which had everyone walking around with gasmasks for a week), a snidget and an abraxan.

The three winged horses were usually found roaming the local forest, along with the nundu, hippogriff, griffin, cockatrice and the chimera. The kelpie had taken over the Citadel's well and was getting quite fat with all the Cook's helpers. The augurey, kneazle and fwooper camped inside Tor's rooms, guarded by the massive Cerberus who was very serious in his job of guarding. The vipertooth hung around the other Citadel dragon's, as dragon's were a favoured familiar, whilst the jarvey just bugged everyone in the throne room. The grim had become friends with Kaiser, who had later declared the grim his 'advisor'. The sea serpent haunted the local lake, being visited sometimes by Glare.

The Lady had demanded Tor keep a list, just so she knew what she was up against. If he had anymore she didn't know about, she hadn't seen them.

Torvus himself was learning Arithmancy and Runes, as his Necromancy Mastery had been completed quickly with the help of the Necromancy book, Indaray and the grim Torvus had typically called Grim.

**Year Nine**

Torvus hated Arithmancy with a passion. Sure, he didn't like Runes either, but Arithmancy made him _think _too much in a way that wasn't 'creative' or 'imaginative'. It was numbers and these freaky symbols that confused him more than Jobberknoll's dying call did.

The court demons thought he would be good at it, because he'd 'made' Kaiser, Lucine and Chipo. Only they didn't know that all he'd really done was stick some random bits of animals together and hope for a miracle. Though Glare had helped…yes, Glare was brilliant when it came to Arithmancy and experiments you shouldn't do. Tor didn't know what he'd do without the huge snake…

So, having failed abysmally at Arithmancy, just passing the Runes Mastery and preparing to ask the Lady if he could start learning for a Mastery in either Poisons or Weapons, Tor was proud to say that his insignia's antlers had, together, nine tines. So, now, he only need 3 more until the antlers were considered 'Royal' and he could take over the Hunt.

**The Wizarding World**

Eleven years had been spent since the death of the beloved Potter's and abrupt cease-fire of the feared Lord Voldemort.

It was speculated, that Voldemort died around the time the Potter's did and that he should be forgotten and we can all live a happy life. This was the general opinion of the Ministry of Magic personal, on behalf of Mr Cornelius Fudge, the Minister.

Others, like Albus Dumbledore and his merry band of fried chickens1, were convinced that the Dark Lord hadn't just slipped in shower, as many reporters had jestingly proclaimed. No, they put their faith in the timid little Neville Longbottom, who had 'miraculously' survived a Death Eater attack- even if he was hiding in the laundry shoot when they finally found him, three days after Halloween. He was declared 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', and sent to his Grandmother after his parents were found insane from over-exposure to the Cruciatus.

Old Death Eater's either celebrated their freedom once the Dark Mark astoundingly faded to an almost unnoticeable state, or preached hatred to Dumbledore and the 'bloody brat'.

Two others, one in Azkaban and the other wallowing in grief and betrayal, thought nothing of this. Their brother, sister and bundle of joy had been murdered in cold blood.

Whatever the opinion, the Potter's were decidedly forgotten by all but their best friends and confidents. So it was without much notice that no acceptance letter was sent off to one Harry James Potter that year. But Minerva McGonagall did. James Potter was her greatest student after all, and she had seen the adorable little bundle at his first birthday party.

So absorbed in her quiet mourning that Minerva completely missed the odd address listed for one of the new students. But the owl did, and it didn't like it.

* * *

A/N: 

1 - I felt like mocking everyone that day…and lotsa other people were doing it, too, so I thought I'd slip it in for my amusement…

Ok, well, I have a question for the reviewers here because you're all really cool and my dog won't stop barking to let me think properly. Now, the big question: - Should Torvus/Harry go to Hogwarts, or do we want him to become Hunt Master before that?

Review Responses:

concrete13roses: 'Torvus', as told by the online latin-english dictionary, means 'Savage, grim, fierce'. 'Jaeger' means 'Hunter' in German, supposedly. I'll just claim that the Lady was hopeful.

HecateDeMort: Lucky! My parents are really picky about what time I get off.

Evergreen Sceptre: Harry is, as of this chapter, an impressively powerful mortal-turned-demon. The Lady 'turned' him the night Indaray collected him. At the moment the other demons, even ones stronger than him (like Indaray or some of the Noble Demons) wouldn't seek harm to him for fear of the Lady's wraith. When he becomes Hunt Master even those demons will cringe at his name, 'cept Indaray 'cause he raised him.

Wytil: I don't reckon he'll get Sirius out until he sets up camp in the Mortal Realm, so either going to Hogwarts or when the Lady sends him to get rid of the re-risen Voldemort after becoming Hunt Master. Kaiser's lot really only find their talents as they go, so if they breath fire or not is under question. But I'm going to make it they each have their own talent, like, say, one of them has a talent for fire, another electricity. It's all random. With the horses, I'm thinking his thresral familiar or something…

ranma hibiki: I'd say insulting him in general is bad, only he's very touchy with his hight, doesn't like being put down for his young age and he's very proud of his hair, chaotic birds nest or not.

Blood-Red Pearl: Do you want him to go to Hogwarts? Glad you like the way this is going!

Lady Bloodrose: Um…Is this to your liking?

Dernhelm-caorann: A little loopy? Riiiight…

Thanks also to: archanis, VainFirechild-EverSoVain, shadow of the black abyss and Marikili68

Later!

T-C-O-O


	5. Interlude

The Hunt Master

Chapter Four

_Italics _– telepathy through a familiar-bond

Eye Colour Chart:

Gold: Warrior-mode. Protective/Stubborn/Pain  
Red: Hunt-mode. Fury/Bloodlust/Lust  
Silver: Political-mode. Indifference/Apathy/Irritation  
Violet: Home-mode. Love/Adoration/Happy/Content  
Green: Marauder-mode. Mischievous/Sugar-High-Hyper

* * *

Torvus hummed the funeral march absently as he stalked down a sidewalk. He wore tanned khaki pants and a black shirt; a black cap perched nonchalantly on his head. At his side, Kaiser trotted as he tried to ignore the glamour magic covering his oddities. Indaray, skulking ahead of them, had been ordered to take them to some place called 'Diagon Alley' in London.

Torvus pouted as he remembered the conversation before.

**Earlier**

_The Dining Room, Citadel_

"How did an owl get into the Citadel? Alive?" Indaray asked, poking the heaving beast.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Torvus mumbled, watching it crawl oh-so-slowly towards his goblet.

"Oh, look there- the flying rat has a letter for 'Mr T. Jaeger, Somewhere, Someplace.'" The Lady said cheerily, picking up the pristine letter the owl had dropped. "Hogwarts? I remember that from somewhere… Indaray?"

Indaray glanced at her. "Yes, milady?"

Lady gave him a scathing look. "Never mind." She carefully sliced the wax seal off with a claw-like nail, pulling out the thick parchment. She read it through, Torvus and Indaray amusing themselves by watching the owl devour everything on the table.

"A wizarding boarding school? And they want my little Tor to go?" Lady put the letter down slowly, a pensive look on her face.

Torvus gave her a horrified look, previous amusement forgotten. "What!" 

Lady raised an eyebrow. "I didn't give you etiquette lessons for nothing, Torvus Jaeger."

Torvus, after giving her a sour look, straightened up. "May I please read the letter, milady?"

"Yes, you may. Because you're going." With that, she placed the letter beside Torvus's plate and gracefully exited the room, evading his cry of outrage.

Glaring shortly at a smirking Indaray, Tor skimmed through the letter. Once finished, having not uttered a word, he threw the slightly snoring owl an acidic look. "I don't know where to get half these things anyway…" He grumbled sullenly.

Indaray shrugged. "In London if you're going to Hogwarts. It's basic knowledge, really."

"Well sorry for not knowing!" Torvus snarled, crossing his arms petulantly.

"You're forgiven." Indaray announced, getting up. "Keep the owl with you- you can send it off once it wakes up."

Moodily, Torvus sneered at Indaray's retreating back, before he suddenly smirked. "Hey, Indaray! I'll need someone to take me to London!"

_Leaky Cauldron, London_

Many a magic-folk gave the three odd looks, where the 'muggles' hadn't even spared them anything other than an appreciative glance. Kaiser, who was now almost a head taller than Torvus, growled at those who stared to long, to great effect.

Torvus sighed, leaning lightly on an excited Kaiser as Indaray tapped a brick wall with some sort of polished stick.

_Why are you so hyper today? _He hissed into the over-grown dogs ear, watching passively as the brick wall shifted itself into, joy, a brick archway.

_Why are you so adamant to be grumpy? _Kaiser shot back, dragging the reluctant boy-demon into the crowd. The crowd itself didn't prove to be problem, hustling out of the dogs way in anything ranging from awe, fear, disgust or just having a good sense of self-preservation.

Indaray ignored all of it, stalking confidentally towards the robes store.

_We're heading towards the clothes shop if you wanted to know, Jaeger. _Kaiser supplied helpfully, an amused light making his eyes glow emerald. _Wonder if they'll feel like a game of dress-up-the-boy-demon…_

Tor glared haughtily at his familiar. _They better not, for your sake…_

A bell rung from the back of the store as the trio entered. The plump witch behind the counter promptly sat up from her magazine (The Witch Weekly) and beamed at them. The pleasant face didn't even falter when she noticed Kaiser eyeing her plate of mid-morning biscuits.

"Oh hello! Hogwarts, deary?" She asked, toddling around the counter as she eyed her customers.

Indaray nodded distractedly, waving a pale hand in Tor's vague direction.

The woman beamed, again, before hustling a silver-eyed Torvus through into the back of the store.

"Now, I'll be with you in a second, dear, just have to get my things. You can chat to this young man whilst you wait." And with that little dialogue, she shoved him onto a stand before abruptly leaving.

After regaining his balance, Tor turned to glare at the smirking, platinum-haired boy who was on the other remaining stand.

"What are you grinning at, you damn jarvey?" Torvus spat, straitening his slightly rumpled shirt.

The boy traded his smirk for an outraged narrowing of the eyes. "Who you calling a jarvey, trash?"

Torvus raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're talking to yourself are you? Would have thought imaginary friends had better names than 'Trash'…"

"If you knew who I was you wouldn't be so confident!" The pale youth snarled, bristling.

Torvus shrugged uncaringly as the woman returned.

"Now, Mister Malfoy, you're free to go. And tell your mother that we have some new styles from Paris, just come in this morning." The witch rattled on about the beauty of said styles as she helped 'Mister Malfoy' down from his stand. No sooner had Torvus sighed in relief of the boys departure when the woman he would later find out as Madam Malkin herself returned with her measuring tape.

* * *

Um… Please don't kill me?

My excuses… I had actually only planned the story to the end of the previous chapter, so I'm at quite a loss as to where to go from here. Unlike some of the awesome authors on this site, I can't pull stuff out of my ass at a moments notice. Or, whatever I _can_ pull out is, ironically, crap.

You're all really cool, and I wanna continue but my muse ditched me! And it ain't coming back. My dad was all like 'I'm sure you'll be able to continue and make it all good and better, because you're smart blah blah blah…' –sigh- It made me feel better, but I'm still not getting any brainwaves…

So, I suppose this is the 'Interlude' until I stop wallowing in self-pity and try to recall the details that have by now been buried under more recent memories.

Wish I could give you more…

Doe

Ergo. The Coffee Obsessed One, Tegan...etc


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